Mawgan Porth
{{Short description|Beach and small settlement in north Cornwall, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
Mawgan Porth (in {{langx|kw|Porth Maugan}}, meaning "St. Mawgan's cove", or Porth Glyvyan, meaning "cove of the Gluvian River") is a beach and small settlement in north Cornwall, England. It is north of Watergate Bay, approximately four miles (6 km) north of Newquay,Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 200 Newquay & Bodmin {{ISBN|978-0-319-22938-5}} on the Atlantic Ocean coast.
The town has recently {{when|date=February 2025}} seen a number of celebrities purchasing properties in the area leading to it becoming known as Hollywood-on-Sea.{{Cite web|title=Cate Blanchett declared a noisy neighbour by Cornish villagers|url=https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/property-home/article/cate-blanchett-declared-a-noisy-neighbour-by-cornish-villagers-0dt80t2m7|access-date=2023-10-24|website=The Times|language=en-US}}
Mawgan Porth is in the civil parish of Mawgan-in-Pydar, at the seaward end of the Vale of Lanherne (or Vale of Mawgan) where the River Menalhyl meets the sea. The hamlet consists of a pub, a general store, and several hotels, guest houses and caravan parks.
The sandy beach, backed by dunes with cliffs at each end, is quality-assessed and supervised by lifeguards during the summer. It is a popular surfing location. The South West Coast Path passes behind the beach and the area attracts holiday-makers.{{cite news|url=http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/holiday_type/beach/article1292126.ece
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208063048/http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/holiday_type/beach/article1292126.ece
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=8 February 2007
|title=The top 20 beach holidays (in the World)|publisher=Sunday Times Online|accessdate=2007-07-15| location=London| date=2007-01-14}}
There are a number of local holiday parks in Mawgan Porth. The oldest is Magic Cove Touring Park;{{Cite web|title=Magic Cove Touring Park|url=https://www.magiccove.co.uk/|access-date=2021-02-24|website=www.magiccove.co.uk|language=en-US}} Cosy Corner{{Cite web|title=Cosy Corner Static Caravan Holiday Park Mawgan Porth Nr. Newquay Cornwall|url=https://www.cosycorner.co.uk/|access-date=2021-02-24|website=www.cosycorner.co.uk}} is nearest to the beach, and then Sun Haven Valley Holiday Park.{{Cite web|title=Sun Haven Holiday Park {{!}} Holiday Homes & Camping at Mawgan Porth|url=https://lovatparks.com/locations/cornwall/sun-haven-park|access-date=2021-02-24|website=Lovat Parks|language=en}}
History
{{see also|Mawgan Porth Dark Age Village}}
In the years 1949–52, 1954 and 1974, archaeological excavations revealed a settlement comprising three groups of buildings ('courtyard houses') and a burial ground dating from around 850–1050. Finds included pottery and stone artefacts.Bruce-Mitford, R. ''Mawgan Porth; a settlement of the Late Saxon Period on the North Cornish Coast: Excavations 1949-52, 1954 and 1974. London: English Heritage {{ISBN|978-1-85074-613-3}} [http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/eh_monographs_2014/contents.cfm?mono=1089061 Abstract and download link]
Mawgan Porth is recorded as Porthglyvyan in 1334, Cornish for cove of the little wooded valley river, and later as Porthmaugan in 1755, Cornish for cove of St Mawgan.
The German sculptor Faust Lang lived in Mawgan Porth from 1936 to 1949.
References
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External links
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